The Other Gilbert Girl
by liz2413
Summary: Olivia Grace Gilbert is just another normal, teenage girl living in the seemingly ordinary Mystic Falls. How will she cope with the appearance of vampires, werewolves, witches, and eventually, hybrids into the life of her and her siblings? Follows plot of TVD to an extent. Eventual Damon/OC/Klaus (when he shows up).
1. Character Introduction

**Hello everyone!**

**I've decided to try out my first TVD fanfic, but before I get into the actual storyline, I wanted to post a sort of character introduction for my OC (Olivia) so that you readers have some background on her. I am still planning out the basic storyline, so the first chapter probably won't be up for another week or two. Hopefully as soon as possible though!**

**Also, I did NOT abandon _Renew_. I am just having a little trouble with it recently.**

**I stole this little template from southernbellewv and her story _Someone Special_(which is a GREAT KolxOC story if you are looking to read one!)**

**I hope you enjoy this little intro.**

**Disclaimer: I only own my OC, Olivia Grace Gilbert, and any original plot lines that I come up with throughout this story.**

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**Character Name**: Olivia Grace Gilbert

**Title of Work**: _The Other Gilbert Girl_

**Physical Appearance**: (I am sort of imagining her to look somewhat like Lily Collins, without as pronounced eyebrows and more resemblance to Jeremy)

**1. Sex** ; Female

**2. Age** ; Sixteen

**3. Height** ; 5'3" Weight 115 lbs

**4. Color of:**

**-hair** ; Dark Brown

**-eyes** ; Brown

**-skin** ; Fair/somewhat tan

**5. Posture** ; Good, always stands up straight.

**6. Appearance** ; Attractive, but somewhat reserved looking. Wears glasses. Tends to try and blend in when in large crowds such as in the hallways at school.

**7**. **Unique Characteristics** ; Birthmark on the inside of her left arm. Small, barely noticeable scar near her hairline from a childhood accident.

**Sociological Aspects:**

**1. Class** ; Upper-middle class(?)

**2. Occupation (type of work, hours of work, condition of work, union or nonunion, attitude toward organization, suitability for work.) ;**

Olivia does not have a paying job, but she enjoys helping out with school events or aiding organizations when it comes to charity.

**3. Education**: (amount, kind of schools, marks, favorite subjects, poorest subjects, aptitudes.) ;

She is a junior in high school, despite the fact that she is a year younger than Elena. Since Olivia is so smart, she was able to skip third grade and be bumped up into her sister's class. Since she has been emerged in this group of people for so many years, most of her classmates have simply forgotten that she skipped a grade in the first place. Her favorite subjects are history (mainly Mystic Falls and other US history) as well as language arts, since she adores writing. She is a straight A student and takes pride in that. She is not afraid to show of her intelligence and attempts to do so in the least snobbish way possible. Her worst subject is science. She takes French and was able to pick up the language fairly easily.

**4. Home life**: (Parents living, earning power, orphan, parents separated or divorced, parents habits, parents mental development, parents vices, neglect. Character's marital status.) ;

Olivia's parents are deceased. Before their death, she was incredibly close to both of them, much like her two other siblings. She was okay with the fact that Jenna would be her new guardian, but still took some time to become used to the drastic change. In general, she gets along very well with Jeremy and Elena. There are still the occasional disputes, since they are siblings and all. Currently, she is content with her home life, though still misses her parents each and every day.

**5. Religion**: Christian

**6. Race, nationality**: Caucasian

**7. Place in community**: (leader among friends, clubs, sports.) ;

Although she is generally introverted, Olivia still manages to make a significant dent in the community of Mystic Falls. She volunteers when the opportunity arises, especially with the town's events (Miss Mystic, Founder's Day, etc.) This is what helps her to get along so well with Caroline. At school, she is involved in the student council, French club, National Honor Society, and photography club. She has had a few pieces published in her school's newspaper and literary magazine. She tried out tennis and track during her first two years, but decided she would rather pursue both sports on her own outside of school.

**8. Political Affiliations**:

Olivia has no specific opinion on this yet.

**9. Amusements, hobbies: (books, newspapers, magazines she reads.)** ;

She absolutely loves both reading and writing. Due to her love of book, she one day aspires to become an author. She enjoys taking runs through the woods during the early morning. In her free time, she almost always finds time to snap a few photographs, whether they are of town activites or something artistic. She also likes to spend time on her own, either jotting down thoughts or simply sitting in the peace and quiet.

**Psychology**

**1. Sex life, moral standards**:

She is a virgin. She is still unsure of whether she believes sex should be saved for after marriage, or until she finds someone whom she truly loves. She does not drink alcohol, and doesn't plan on doing so until she is 21. She wants to stay as far away from drugs as possible.

**2. Personal premise, ambition**:

She dreams of going to a good college and getting a degree in literature or writing. She wants to travel the world one day more than anything else. Her main goal is to visit Paris before the start of her college education.

**3. Frustrations, chief disappointments**:

Olivia is often disappointed by the fact that she does not fit in, socially, as well as her older sister does. She becomes frustrated when she realizes that she can't have a hand in controlling everything, especially when it comes to getting Jeremy away from his bad habits of drugs and alcohol. She is also somewhat embarrassed by the fact that she has never had a steady boyfriend, while most high school boys are attracted to her older sister.

**4. Temperament: (choleric, easygoing, pessimistic, optimistic.)**

She is generally easy going, but is not willing to be pushed around by anyone. She does not advertise that, but is very difficult to pressure into anything. When it comes to her family or people that she cares about, Olivia is willing to go to many lengths to protect them, and always tries to put herself last. Overall, she is an optimistic person, but is not prone to the occasional defeated and pessimistic outlook on life.

**5. Attitude towards life: (resigned, militant, defeatist.)**

She enjoys her life as it is currently, but always has the nagging feeling that things would be different if her parents had also survived the accident at Wickery Bridge.

**6. Complexes: (obsessions, inhibitions, superstitions, phobias)**

After her parents' accident, she developed a fear of water, and is only willing to appreciate it from a distance. She does not have the same extreme fear of Wickery Bridge as Elena does, but is still very wary of it. Her greatest fear is losing people that she loves. This fear has recently been heightened, after the death of her parents. Once we get into the story, we will see how she responds and reacts to the appearance of supernatural beings in her everyday life.

**7. Extrovert, introvert, ambivert:**

Olivia is an ambivert (both introvert and extrovert), though she generally leans more on the introverted side. Her extroverted side only appears once you have come to know her very well.

**8. Abilities: (language, talents.)**

She was able to pick up the French language pretty easily and is also talented when it comes to speaking it. She is a fantastic writer, and has had her work published in different school publications. She is also talented when it comes to taking photographs, and is a great contributor to the yearbook. She took dance lessons when she was younger, so she has better ability than most.

**9. Qualities: (imagination, judgment, taste, poise)**

One of her main qualities is her great imagination that helps contribute to her writing, photography, and everyday life. She is willing to give everyone a chance, despite things that other people say about them. She generally likes to present herself as a put together girl who is serious about her future, family, and friends.

**10. I. Q.**

Never been measured.

**Significant Pre-Standing Relationships:**

**Elena Gilbert (Sister, 17):** Olivia has always been close with Elena, especially since they are in the same grade at school. Olivia feels very comfortable coming to her asking for advice or just wanting to talk. They definitely lean on each other through hard times. Olivia often looks up to Elena, wishing that she could be as approachable and fun as her when it comes to social scenarios. The two sisters would do anything for each other.

**Jeremy Gilbert (Brother, 15): **Olivia is very close with her younger brother. Jeremy often feels more comfortable coming to her with his problems than he does with Elena. The two enjoy each other's company, and are able to engage in both sarcastic and serious conversations. Olivia and Jeremy are usually able to overcome any fights that they partake in very quickly. Olivia would also do anything to ensure her little brother is safe.

**Jenna Sommers (Aunt/Guardian, 20's): **Olivia and Jenna generally get along very well. Unlike her other two siblings, Olivia was less sure when she found out that Jenna would be deemed their new guardian. Due to knowing about her somewhat crazy behavior in high school, Olivia finds it harder to relate to her aunt. Overall, Olivia loves Jenna very much and is appreciative of all that she has given up to take care of her, Elena, and Jeremy.

**Caroline Forbes (Close Friend, 17)****:** Olivia and Caroline have always found connections through their love of getting involved at school. Caroline is a good balance to Olivia's introverted behavior, with her perkiness and bluntness.

**Bonnie Bennett (Friend, 17):** Olivia and Bonnie get along very well. She is not as close with her as Elena is, but really enjoys hanging out with her both in and out of school.

**Matt Donovan (Close Friend, 17):** Due to growing up with him, Olivia has a very close friendship with Matt. He, much like he is with Elena, is very protective of Olivia and does not want to see her get hurt. During Matt and Elena's relationship, Olivia had a small crush on him, but got over it pretty quickly and hasn't thought about it since.

**Tyler Lockwood (Friend, 17): **Olivia would not have a (sort of) friendship with Tyler if she hadn't tutored him in math all throughout sophomore year. They do not see each other a lot outside of school, but always say hello when they come across each other in the hallways.

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**I hope this gave some useful information on my OC! I also hope that she actually sounds interesting to you guys!**

**The first _real_ chapter should be up within a week or two.**

**xo, liz**


	2. Chapter 1: The Beginning

**Time for the first chapter! This is probably the longest one I've ever written, at about 5,500 words!**

**Thank you to the two of you who reviewed after my character study chapter, that made me feel very good :)**

**I hope you guys enjoy this first chapter! Make sure to review also :)**

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**Chapter 1; _The Beginning_**

_Beep._

_Beep._

_Beep._

Normally the incessant sound of my stereotypical alarm clock would've jostled me awake, maybe elicited a few groans as I emerged out of the pleasant calmness also known as sleep. On any _other_ morning, I would've slammed my palm down on the snooze button and clenched my eyes shut, wishing that I possessed the power to turn back time.

But not today.

No, at the start of this day, I was already up and awake - far too awake - and ready to quickly shut off the petulant sound. Around the time the clock had struck four thirty, my eyes were opening for some reason, apparently ready for me to get up and out of bed. I had tried to fight it for a while. Usually I enjoyed getting up early, but more around six or six thirty. Four a.m. was definitely pushing it.

The extra time between my ungodly waking and seven o'clock had been spent simply, like the rest of my usual lifestyle. Lounging in my window seat, journal in hand. I had been given the extra time to reflect on the day to come and how different things were no doubt going to be. Maybe that's why my brain had pushed me to get up so early.

Things had been... hard ever since the accident. Living without mom and dad meant completely altering our previously ideal little life. Everyone in quaint Mystic Falls knew, of course. The last few months had been spent with hundreds of apologies coming from the mouths of people that I both did and did not recognize. Each of us siblings had formed different ways of accepting the grievances. Jeremy with a barely there half smile and a quick retreating from the scene. Elena with a quick, involuntary brush of dark hair behind her ear and a quiet _thank you, we're doing okay_, gladly accepting the comforting hand that was so often placed on her shoulder. I responded as I usually did to most other acknowledgements, with a tight lipped smile and a nod of the head. The routine had been easy to fall into. Maybe that's what made it so hard.

I would be lying if I said I hadn't been dreading the first day of the new school year. My parents had died around the end of sophomore year, which hadn't given my classmates enough time to flock around the three of us Gilberts with their hugs and sympathetic expressions. Although I didn't fall as far off the grid as Elena had, I had tended to keep to myself over the summer. Nothing could keep me from our small town's annual summertime activities, but it was easy to see that I wasn't as invested in them as I had once been. I had the horrible feeling that today would bring more condolences and a lot more attention to myself than I usually want. The only thing keeping me going was the fact that my younger brother and older sister would be enduring it alongside me.

Despite my early waking time, I didn't end up coming down the stairs until it was almost time to get going. I had opted to wear a simple ensemble consisting of skinny jeans, an old black v-neck, and my very worn Keds. My dark hair was in a wavy ponytail with a white ribbon, and my glasses were perched atop my nose. As I jogged down the stairwell and into the bustling kitchen, I slid them up further so they wouldn't slip.

Aunt Jenna was hurriedly glancing through her purse. I could tell it had been a rough morning after seeing the messy bun that her hair had been thrown up into. Elena and Jeremy both had coffee mugs in hand and were gathering up their last needed materials for the day. Since I knew we would be in a hurry to leave, I ducked into the pantry and grabbed a granola bar that I tossed into my bag. It would be much easier to eat on the way and chew a piece of gum than to try and sit down in all of the morning craziness.

Jenna pointed a finger at me as soon as I stepped into the middle of the mess. "Do you have lunch money? You need that right?"

I nodded, forming my thumb and index finger in the OK sign. "Got it covered, Jenna."

Elena gave me a warm smile before turning back to our aunt. "Don't you have a presentation today?"

Eyes widening, she glanced down at her wristwatch. "I'm meeting with my thesis advisor at... now. Crap." Suddenly in a greater rush than before, she pulled her hair out of the tie and did her best to make it look presentable. When I glanced at Jeremy, I saw that he was trying to conceal his smile.

"Then go," Elena urged her, trying to nod reassuringly. "We'll be fine."

Jenna gave her a relieved and thankful look before shooting us a quick "have a good day" and dashing off into her bedroom. Now that the three of us were alone in our kitchen, I glanced over towards my two siblings. Jeremy didn't seem that enthusiastic, with his dark toned clothing and half lidded look. Elena was looking at him with a furrowed brow.

"You okay?" She asked, moving to touch his arm.

Peering at her over the edge of his coffee mug, Jeremy sighed. "Don't start." With that, he made his way past our eldest sibling and headed for the door. As he passed by my place near our kitchen table, I caught the arm of his jacket.

"Hey," I said, looking at him curiously. "How are you getting to school?"

Jeremy shrugged and set the cup down on the wood surface. "I have a ride, I promise." Giving me a small smile, he made his way towards the front door. "See you guys at school."

As soon as the slamming of the door signaled his exit, I turned my attention towards my sister. Elena was glancing through her bag, probably checking to make sure that she had everything. I began to do the same, and only looked up again when I heard my sister address me.

"Am I allowed to ask how _you_ are doing, Liv?"

Slinging my bag over one shoulder, I nodded in consent. "I'm fine, Elena. Just taking it one day at a time."

That seemed to please her, and she walked towards me with a promising smile. "At least we're in this together," She sighed, placing an arm around my shoulder. "Are you catching a ride with me and Bonnie?"

One eyebrow raised at that. "Are you kidding? I've been waiting to have a parking pass ever since freshmen year, and I finally have one. I'm taking the car, if you want to come along."

She shrugged, removing her arm. "I promised Bonnie that I'd ride with her today. But I can cancel if you want?"

A beeping of a car horn cut both of us off. "Sounds like she's already here." I commented. "You go ahead. I'll see you at school okay?"

"Okay, but promise to drive careful?" She commanded, already heading out of the kitchen.

I gave her a thumbs up. "You bet. See you later, Lena."

Giving me one last wave and smile, Elena hurried out the front door. If I waited any longer to leave, I would surely be late, which definitely wouldn't be a good start to this already awkward day. Tightening the ribbon in my hair, I grabbed the keys to our car. I just barely caught the story about the two missing people on the television before I flipped it off and dashed out the door.

Hopefully, this day would bring something good.

* * *

The drive had been quick, but calming due to my solitude and the company of my favorite radio station. Upon pulling into the school's parking lot, my eyes caught view of most of the student body milling around and making conversation. I already found myself getting that familiar feeling of dread that came with immersing myself in large groups of people. It had been appearing more often in the past months, what with being known as a part of the town's latest sob story.

After some searching, I was able to locate my assigned spot, which was luckily right near the sidewalk. There were already cars parked on both sides of me, making it fairly simple to center myself between the two without causing any damage. Once I shut the car off, I took a minute to bask in the last remaining moments of silence. I knew that once I exited my vehicle, I would surely be bombarded with at least a few sympathetic classmates.

_You can do this,_ I thought to myself. _You can do this._

Taking one last deep breath, I grabbed my bag and swung open the driver's side door. When it didn't open up as easily as usual, the generic fear overtook me. Did I hit someone's car already? No, there hadn't been any sort of crunch or scraping of metal. The sound I heard had been more of an "oof" that came from a living creature, and not an inanimate object.

My eyes widened behind my glasses once I saw what my door had hit. A person, who had been innocently trying to pass in between the two cars. A person who I had, of course, assaulted with my door.

"Oh my gosh," I gasped, quickly stepping out. "I'm so sorry, I wasn't even looking. Are you okay?"

Until I was standing in front of the particularly tall person, I hadn't bothered to take in their appearance. For starters, the boy was _new._ He had light skin with bronze colored straight, short hair that appeared to be perfectly styled without looking _too_ perfect, somehow. After removing his black wayfarer sunglasses, I caught a view of his deep green eyes, set underneath thick dark eyebrows.

The boy smiled. "I'm okay. I probably should've been paying more attention anyways."

Readjusting my glasses, I shrugged. "I can't believe I just blindly swung open my door like that. Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, really, don't worry about it." He urged, suddenly extending out a hand. "I'm Stefan Salvatore."

It took me a moment to register that I should return the gesture. Once I did, with a blush on my face that I hoped wasn't too obvious, I introduced myself. "I'm Olivia." A brief pause. "Gilbert," I added quickly. "Olivia Gilbert."

Stefan smiled and dropped my hand, causing me to do the same. "It's nice to meet you. If you'll excuse me, though, I have to get to the office and pick up my schedule."

"Right, you look new." I said before realizing how odd that sounded. "I mean, I haven't seen you here before, so I figured..." Deciding it was best to end my embarrassment, I let my voice trail off.

"Maybe I'll see you later," Stefan remarked. "Bye, Olivia."

Giving him a weak wave, I watched as the newest addition to Mystic Falls High School slipped back on his cool sunglasses and headed towards the main building. Once I had locked up the car, I did the same. For the second time that day, I ducked my head down and hoped for the best.

* * *

I tapped my pen against the tip of my nose as I continued to listen to Mr. Tanner's bland lecture on the battle of Willow Creek. Usually, I loved history more than anything. My dad and I used to spend hours simply exploring around the town or reading up on the great past that Mystic Falls held. It just so happened to be my boring teacher that was making the material so uninteresting. I listened on as he continued to ask students about the number of casualties. Bonnie and Matt hadn't known, so he had asked Elena.

"I'm sorry," My sister apologized, straightening up in her chair. "I don't know."

Mr. Tanner frowned. "I was willing to be lenient last year, Elena, for obvious reasons. But the personal excuses-"

"There were 346." I blurted out, attempting to save my sister from the rest of his insensitive lecture. She gave me a thankful look.

Our teacher raised an eyebrow, and turned his attention to wear I was sitting on the opposite side of the room. "Thank you for the attempt, Miss Gilbert," He started. "But that is not correct either."

Furrowing my brow, I was about to protest that I actually _was_ correct when a familiar voice spoke up from the seat behind me. It wasn't a voice I had known for that long, but it was definitely recognizable after my encounter this morning in the parking lot.

"Actually, sir, she's correct. You have to take account of the 27 civilian casualties."

Mr. Tanner gave a small laugh. "I'm sorry, Mr...?"

"Salvatore."

"Mr. Salvatore," he continued. "But there weren't any civilian casualties in this battle."

Stefan paused before speaking again. "Actually, sir, the Confederate soldiers fired on the town church after believing it to be housing weapons. They were wrong, and it was a night of great loss."

I tried to hide my smile behind my hand as Mr. Tanner clenched his jaw and averted his gaze to the floor. It was plain for all of us students to see that he had been bested by the new guy. Knowing Tanner, it wasn't going to sit well with him. When Stefan continued on, I was positive that he had just gotten on the bad side of the history teacher.

"The Founders Archives are stored in the city hall if you'd like to brush up on your facts, Mr. Tanner."

That seemed to be the breaking point for the class. At least everyone in the room laughed or snickered, all turning their gazes towards the brave Stefan Salvatore. I did the same, and my eyes met his. He gave me a small nod, to which I smiled in acknowledgement. Elena caught my attention and raised her eyebrows in approval. Maybe this class wouldn't turn out so horrible after all.

* * *

After a very awkward class period for Mr. Tanner, the bell rang and released us into the hallway. I gathered up my things and headed out the door. I took a sharp right and joined my group of friends where we usually met after the last class of the day. Caroline gave me a quick hug before I entered the circle consisting of Elena, Matt, Bonnie, and us two. I noticed that Matt was trying his best to keep his gaze away from my sister, like he had been doing ever since their break up last year. When he saw me, he gave me a small smile.

"So," Caroline began, setting into her perky disposition. "Bonfire tonight at the falls. We're all going right?" She rolled her eyes. "Oh, who am I kidding. We are definitely all going."

I saw my window of opportunity closing extremely quickly. "Actually, Care," I spoke up. "I wasn't really planning on coming. It's not really my, uh, thing."

Her face fell, but Bonnie was the first to protest. "Come on, Liv. You have to come! Everyone else is going to be there anyways."

Elena nudged my shoulder gently. "If I'm going, then there's no way I'm letting you get out of it."

Caroline nodded enthusiastically. "Besides, it's a new school year right? Aka, the _perfect_ time to find a new thing, or whatever."

"It'll be fun, Olivia." Matt added with a shrug, though he didn't seem a hundrend percent sure either.

I was about to turn and give in to Caroline when her expression suddenly lit up at the sight of something down the hall.

"Stefan!" She called out, making the rest of us turn and look.

Sure enough, our newest classmate was strolling in our direction. With his leather jacket and sunglasses perched upon his head, he reminded me of a modern James Dean. Caroline immediately bombarded him once he was within a few feet of our little group.

"You know about the bonfire tonight right?" She questioned, a familiar flirtatious look on her face. "It's at the falls. You should totally come!"

He briefly glanced at all of us before turning back towards our overbearing friend. "Are you guys going?"

"We're all going," she said quickly, maybe so I wouldn't have the chance to decline.

I smiled a little as I saw him turn to look directly at my sister, who seemed a little surprised. "Are you going, Elena?"

Caroline frowned as Elena's face lit up a bit. "Uh, yeah. Yeah, I'm going."

"Then I'll be there." He stated, keeping his pretty green eyes on my sister before nodding at all of us. "See you guys tonight."

As he walked away, placing his sunglasses back down over his eyes, all of us couldn't help but stare.

"Alright," Caroline interjected, the bright smile back on her face. "We'll all meet there tonight!"

* * *

Within two minutes of showing up to the bonfire, I knew I had made a grave mistake.

Elena had let me drive the two of us there, but had stalked off towards the alcohol along with Bonnie almost right away, promising to be back in a few minutes. That left me standing there by myself, glancing around at all the activity around the orange glow of the fire. I caught sight of at least three different couples making out furiously, no doubt already having had access to the large beer keg. At least everyone in attendance seemed to have a red cup in hand except for me. Not that I disliked being sober in a situation like this.

I had opted to lean up against a nearby tree and wait for Elena and Bonnie to return when I heard someone walking up behind me. Peeking my head around the tree, I saw that it was Matt.

"Hey," I greeted him, noticing the lack of a drink in his hand. "Not up for any partying tonight?"

Giving me a half smile, he slid his hands into the pockets of his letter jacket. "Nah, I'm not really feeling it."

I quirked an eyebrow. "And you'd rather stand off in the shadows with the quiet introvert?"

Matt laughed, his blue eyes crinkling at the edges. "At least I know we can carry on an actual conversation, unlike the rest of the people here."

Nodding, my eyes raked over all of our classmates, conversing and drinking. I knew that I should've fought harder against Caroline and my sister when it came to whether or not I actually had to come to the bonfire. Parties had never been my type of scene, no matter how hard my friends encouraged me. Even though my life had taken a drastic turn, this aspect of me had continued to stay the same.

When I didn't say anything, Matt spoke again, nudging my shoulder. "So how've you been dealing with it all lately?"

Ah, the dreaded question. "It's hard." I admitted, looking down. "But at least I _am_ dealing. Today didn't turn out as horrible as it could've."

Matt gave me one of his reassuring looks that I had become very used to over the last months. "I'm glad to hear that, Liv."

"Thanks," I said through a sigh. "You know what, this party isn't helping my day become any better. Can you tell Elena that I decided to take off? I heard her say something about grabbing a ride with Bonnie if she needed to."

My longtime friend nodded. "Yeah, sure thing. I'll see you tomorrow."

After giving him another thanks and a quick hug, I headed towards the clearing where I had parked my car, eager to return to the solitude of my own bedroom.

* * *

"Oh you've got to be kidding me," I muttered angrily, slumping into my seat.

The small orange light on my dashboard that signaled a malfunction with the engine seemed to be mocking me as I continued to stare, willing it to disappear. Of course, my dad had taught me how to pop the hood and to fix the basic issues, so being unprepared wasn't the issue. The problem was that I happened to be on one of the creepy side roads that was surrounded by the forest on both sides, and that getting out of my car would be an invitation for a serial killer to come after me.

Putting on my brave face, I found the button that would open up the hood and pressed it. There was a flashlight in the glove compartment that I grabbed. If need be, I could use it as a weapon to wack any psychos on the head. I also made sure that my phone was in my jacket pocket in case I needed to use it. The air seemed to be colder than before as I opened the door and stepped out of my car. The glow from my headlights and flashlight seemed to be the only source of illumination, apart from the moon. But even that was somewhat shrouded by clouds.

I couldn't help but take notice at the strange fog that was making its way over the pavement as I made my way to the front of the vehicle. "Great," I muttered to myself. "Cold and foggy."

Lifting the hood, I unfortunately realized, was going to be the easiest part of this process. Heat and smoke were emanating from the engine, along with a strange hissing noise. My shoulders slumped once I realized I had no idea how to deal with something like this.

To my left, the leaves and branches suddenly rustled. It made my heart speed up a bit, but I took a deep breath and returned my attention to the car. My only option left was to call Elena, and hope that she would arrive with some assistance, maybe from Matt, the car genius. Another noise came from the trees, making me head back towards the driver's side as I waited for my sister to pick up.

Of course, I got her voicemail. "Hey Elena," I started once the beep had sounded. "It's me, your dear sister. Our wonderful car decided to break down on possibly the creepiest road ever, so I'm stuck for the moment. Call me back as soon as possible, okay?"

Sighing in frustration, I pressed end. She would be receiving a lecture on always keeping her phone on hand once we got back home. I stuffed my phone back into my pocket so that I would have a free hand to pull on the handle and retreat back into the safety of my vehicle.

"Car troubles?"

I gasped at the sudden voice, whipping around so that my back was pressed against metal. The flashlight dropped from my grasp as I brought both hands up, clenched against my chest. Before me stood a man I had never seen before, smirking as he looked back at me. He was tall, and his inky black hair practically blended in with the equally as dark night sky. The hair that fell over his forehead contrasted starkly against pale skin, and perfectly matched the leather jacket he was wearing. Even without much light, I could see the piercing blue color of his irises as my widened gaze continued to stare into his.

"I'm sorry," he continued when I was silent. "I scared you."

I dropped my hands, but still stayed rigid. "Just a little bit." Furrowing my brow, I continued to look him over. "Not to be, uh, rude, but where did you come from?"

The stranger smiled and gestured to the woods. "I was just enjoying a nice stroll through the forest when I saw the smoke from your car. Thought I'd do some investigating." He playfully raised his eyebrows up and down at the last word.

Although he didn't seem like he was out to attack me, I was still a little unsure. "No offense, but that's not exactly reassuring to hear that you walk through the woods in the middle of the night."

"Ah," he remarked, pointing a finger at me. "Says the girl who decided to pull over on the _creepiest road ever_ all by herself."

"So you eavesdrop too," I scoffed, crossing my arms over my chest. "And I did not _decide_ for my car to break down. You aren't really helping yourself out here."

Holding up his hands in defeat, he nodded. "You're right. You know, you're smart to be wary of the dark, mysterious, albeit handsome stranger." I raised an eyebrow as he continued on. "But I'm not actually a _complete_ stranger to this town. Maybe you know my brother, Stefan?"

That caught my attention. "You're Stefan's brother?"

He grinned while stepping forward and extending out his hand. "Damon Salvatore."

Although it went against everything I had ever been taught when dealing with unknown people, I reluctantly returned the gesture and shook his hand. His skin felt cooler than normal, but I shook it off, attributing it to the freezing air around us.

"Olivia," I introduced myself casually.

Damon raised an eyebrow. "No last name?"

"Not one that you need to know."

He smirked again, and I began to realize that that was his signature look. "Fair enough." Dropping my hand, Damon rubbed his own together and walked to the front of my car after picking the flashlight up off the ground. "Let's see what the problem is."

I followed him, watching as he examined the engine. There wasn't as much smoke as before, but I could still faintly hear the hissing noise.

"Do you mind?" He asked, giving me the flashlight to shine for him.

I took it in my hand, positioning it so that most of the hood was illuminated. Fearlessly, Damon plunged his hand down into the hot maze of metal objects, making me wince a little. He must've had a lot of experience with cars before. Or maybe he was just much braver than I.

"So," he began, still fiddling with the engine. "You're already aware of my secret eavesdropping. Would your sister happen to be Elena Gilbert?"

Still confused about how he knew my sister, I nodded. I didn't realize that he obviously couldn't hear a nod until he glanced up at me expectantly.

"Yeah," I told him. "That's her."

Damon turned his attention back towards the car, which I noticed was no longer hissing. "Stef said something about her earlier. Though, he didn't mention anything about a sister."

"Much like Stefan never mentioned a brother," I shot back, somewhat defensively.

Chuckling, Damon removed his hand from the car engine. Along with the absence of the hissing noise, there was no longer any smoke. I wasn't completely sure how he had managed to fix it without any tools, but I decided to be thankful that it had gotten fixed in the first place.

"Oh, my brother just doesn't like when people begin to prefer me over him." Damon explained, causing me to open my mouth in protest. He spoke again, and I lost my chance. "Anyways, engine's fixed."

"Uh, thanks." I stammered, watching as he shut the hood of my car.

"Don't mention it, Olivia Gilbert." Damon said with a shrug and a smirk. He suddenly pointed down at my pocket. "Looks like someone's calling you."

Staring at him confusedly for a moment, I didn't even realize that my phone had been buzzing. Even stranger was the fact that he had heard it, especially when it was on vibrate. Looking down, I pulled it out and answered after seeing that it was Elena.

"Liv?" She started, somewhat frantically. "I got your voicemail, are you okay?"

I didn't reply. My attention was distracted as I looked up again and realized that Damon was nowhere to be seen. I looked all over, even spinning around to see if he had begun to walk in another direction. Still, I found nothing.

"Olivia? Are you there?" Elena asked again.

Giving up on my search, I got back into the car. "Yeah, sorry. Everything's fine, the car is all fixed."

"Don't do that to me," she sighed. "Vicki Donovan just got attacked by some sort of animal in the woods, and they want everyone back home as soon as possible."

"Oh my gosh," I half-gasped, putting on my seatbelt. "Should I come get you and Jer?"

My sister's voice had become much calmer. "No, Jenna is already on her way. Just drive home, okay?"

"Okay," I agreed, starting the car again. "I'll see you guys at the house."

After hearing her say another quick goodbye, I hung up and began the drive back home. I couldn't help but take notice of how the strange fog had disappeared as quickly as it had come on. All throughout the drive home, I kept replaying the odd conversation I had had with the strange, yet somewhat alluring individual known as Damon Salvatore.

* * *

The day ended much like it had began.

Me, all alone in my bedroom, seated on my comfortable bed with a pen and journal nearby. After Jenna, Elena, Jeremy and I had gotten home, I had gotten the brief details on Vicki's situation from my sister. Jeremy had been silent, barely returning the embrace when I had given him a hug. I knew that he and Vicki were friends, despite that fact that she didn't always treat him well. He had retreated off to his room, not wanting to interact with us anymore.

That left us three girls, leaning around the kitchen counter. I had explained my car troubles, and how Stefan's brother had ended up helping me. For some reason, I left out the fact that he had basically appeared out of nowhere and how he had disappeared without a trace. It turned out that Stefan hadn't mentioned his older sibling to Elena either, which I found a little strange. She brushed it off, saying that her and the other Salvatore had barely had the time to get to know each other. After a little more conversation, I had gone upstairs to change into some comfortable clothes and hopefully get some sleep.

After jotting down a few random blurbs in my journal, I tossed it onto my pillow and rose up from my comfortable position. I pulled my hair up into a quick ponytail and jogged downstairs, wanting to grab a glass of water before I went to bed. Clearing the stairs, I strolled into the kitchen and paused. Seated at the table were Elena and Stefan, talking about something I couldn't quite catch. My sister was genuinely smiling at him, which was something I hadn't seen in a long time. Despite the fact that she was the one facing me, it was Stefan who turned around and acknowledged my presence.

"Hello Olivia," he greeted me with a small wave.

Elena looked a little surprised to see me. "Did you need something?"

"Uh, no," I told them, heading over to grab a glass from the cabinet and filling it under the sink. "Just grabbing some water before bed." As soon as I was finished, I began to retreat back towards the staircase. "Goodnight, guys."

"Oh, Stefan," Elena interjected, pointing towards me. "Olivia said she ran into your brother tonight. Damon, right, Liv?"

Halting my step, I turned back towards them and gave a small nod. Something about the look on Stefan's face told me why he hadn't mentioned his older brother before. By the way his mouth set into a tight line, I guessed that they didn't have the best relationship.

"You did?" he asked, a tightness in his voice.

Another nod. "He helped me with my car, actually."

Stefan furrowed his brow and laughed lightly. "That's funny, he didn't even mention it."

"Well, tell him thanks again for me." I added, eager to return upstairs. "I'm going up, goodnight."

Not waiting for a response from either of them, I turned and strolled back up the staircase. Once I had returned to the comfort of my room, I placed my glass off water on my bedside table, along with my glasses. Completely ready for exhaustion to overtake me, I fell back onto my bed, letting my legs dangle.

I stayed like that for a while, just thinking about anything and everything. My thoughts kept circling back to the two Salvatores, curiously wondering why there seemed to be a sort of animosity between them. It was somewhat funny, I thought, how I kept thinking about two people who I had barely known. Eventually, I wanted an escape from my own thoughts and decided to go to sleep. Climbing underneath the covers, I settled into my warm, comfortable bed and switched off the light.

As I drifted off to sleep, I couldn't shake the feeling that tomorrow would be easier than today.

Maybe, just maybe, I would be okay.

* * *

**All done! I know I sort of condensed everything in the first episode into one day, but I thought that it would be much easier. I do switch around some of the dialogue, but the plot is generally going to stay the same all throughout the first and second seasons.**

**What did you guys think of Olivia so far? I hope that I had everyone mainly in character.**

**Please please please review and share your thoughts on how the first chapter went! The next one should be up within the next two weeks!**

**xo, liz**


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